State of Origin game 2: The six calls that likely cost Brad Fittler his job as NSW Blues coach
A host of selection and tactical controversies by Brad Fittler have all but ended his era as NSW coach following a devastating loss to the Maroons.
Three losses in the past four series – coupled with a brutal Brisbane mugging – and it’s farewell, Freddy.
A host of selection and tactical controversies by Brad Fittler have all but ended his era as NSW coach after the struggling Blues lost State of Origin II – and the series – to Queensland at Suncorp Stadium.
And it was six contentious decisions which ultimately defined the series for Fittler, who has been NSW coach for six years for three series wins and three losses.
Fittler had to win this year’s series to trigger a new deal for 2024. He knew a series loss would end his NSW coaching tenure.
Even before the game, Fittler admitted this was “backs against the wall.”
Fittler may even choose to step down before being pushed. He can only focus on trying to finish his job with a win in Sydney on July 12 and avoid a farewell clean sweep.
The decision to dump Fittler isn’t official – it will come from the NSWRL board – but it’s probable.
Within the next few months, the NSWRL will likely start searching for a new coach with Des Hasler a leading candidate along with Michael Maguire and Paul McGregor.
There were some contentious moments during and before Wednesday night. Did Fittler get it right?
* There must have been a better left centre replacement than hooker Damien Cook after Tom Trbojevic was injured after just three minutes.
* Cam Murray could have played centre.
* Starting the game with little-known Reece Robson at dummy half ahead of Cook. Robson played 80 minutes because of Trbojevic’s injury.
* Murray not being thrown into the game until the 48th minute.
* Opting for Parramatta’s Mitchell Moses at halfback ahead of Brisbane’s Adam Reynolds and Cronulla’s Nicho Hynes.
* Gambling on three injured players – Latrell Mitchell, Liam Martin and Cam Murray. Mitchell withdrew last Friday injured.
Fittler’s time with NSW had some memorable moments. His record stands at eight wins and nine losses – more than acceptable in the fierce Origin cauldron.
In the Fittler era, NSW has actually scored 106 more points than Queensland.
In his nine losses, Fittler has only been defeated twice by double figures. He has actually won five games by more than 20 points.
Fittler won Origin series in 2018 and 2019, his first two as coach, lost in 2020 against a Queensland team dubbed “the worst in 40 years”, returned to win in 2021 before losing last year.
He has dominated as a coach but at the wrong time.
Fittler’s selections have been scrutinised heavily this series with the coach describing public debate around his Origin II side as a “circus.”
NSW were depleted pre-game through injuries to star players Mitchell, Nathan Cleary and Api Koroisau
Martin was passed fit to play after completing concussion protocols during an 11-day stand-down. He only started contact training on Tuesday.
Entering the game, NSW had never in State of Origin’s 41-year, three game history saved a series by winning game two in Brisbane. Make that 42 years.
The TAB odds had the Blues friendless $2.55 outsiders before kick-off with Queensland raging $1.54 favourites. See, Queensland can win when favourites.
HOW THE BLUES LOST THE ORIGIN SERIES
- Michael Carayannis
Battered, bruised and eventually embarrassed. The Blues were comprehensively outplayed going down 32-6 to lose the Origin series and now major question marks loom for a host of players and staff with everyone under the microscope.
NSW handed Queensland the shield for a second consecutive year with a six try to one thumping and those circling coach Brad Fittler have already penned his Origin coaching obituary.
Fittler has now lost three of the past four Origin series, five of his last six matches and needed to win the series to activate a coaching extension.
The match descended into chaos with Jarome Luai and Reece Walsh sent-off for headbutting each other and Josh Addo-Carr sin-binned for punching Walsh in the final 20 seconds.
But all eyes will be on Fittler and the Blues post-mortem.
“End of the game I looked at the score I thought wow,” Fittler said. “I didn’t think we were that far out of the game but we got beat by four or five tries.”
Fittler – whose bench rotation will again be queried after Cameron Murray sat on the bench for the entire opening half and debutant Stefano Utoikamanu played just 14 minutes - is not the only one to face the blowtorch. Skipper James Tedesco’s poor series continued while a host of players will now face the axe. NSW could usher in a new era as they look to avoid losing a series 3-0 for the first time in 13 years when the match heads to Sydney on July 12.
Prop Payne Haas was a stand-out for the Blues playing 57 unbroken minutes and hooker Reece Robson showed promising signs.
Fittler refused to buy in when quizzed about his future.
“We have another game to go,” Fittler said. “I’ll worry about it (after the series). We will see what happens.”
The Blues poor night started early after Tom Trbojevic lasted just two minutes with his season now likely over when he suffered a ruptured pectoral. Manly’s million dollar man was making a covering tackle and knew instantly his night was done having suffered the same injury to his opposite pectoral in 2019.
The Blues gambled at the selection table by not carrying an outside back on the bench and lost once Trbojevic was taken from the field. The injury forced regular rake Damien Cook to play left centre.
“I spoke to Cookie that it could happen that he would have to play centre,” Fittler said. “He did a great job. We had to change a bit of what we wanted to do. Their defence was very good.”
Bad luck followed the Blues in the first half when they trailed 10-0 at the break off the back of two controversial calls.
The first came in the ninth minute when Valentine Holmes crossed in front of 52,433 people. He had pounced on a cross-field kick after winger Josh Addo-Carr fumbled a bomb. Replays showed the ball had narrowly missed the fingertips of Queensland winger Xaiver Coates but the put down by Holmes was questionable.
Fittler said mid-game that he thought it was a “50/50” call.
The next try would have left Fittler equally frustrated given at least one – if not two – of the lead-up passes travelled forward. The pass from David Fifita to Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow was suspect followed by Tabuai-Fidow’s final ball to Murray Taulagi who scored.
“Touchie was in a good position to call it,” Fittler said. “That was a bad call. I’m not sure if that would’ve made a difference. The first couple (of tries) were questionable. It wouldn’t have made a difference.”
Just moments earlier though Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans produced one of the great Origin moments when he cut down Stephen Crichton who was destined certain to score. Crichton had claimed a poor kick by Queensland’s Reece Walsh to race 80 metres only for Cherry-Evans to make the try-scoring effort to stop him. The Blues failed to score against a scrambling Maroons defensive line and could only grimace when the home side crossed moments later.
Just like in game one – where the Blues lost 28-16 – NSW, dominated territory but failed to capitalise on a host of chances. By the time they trailed 10-0 after 34 minutes they had 64 per cent of territorial advantage.
The Blues hopes of a comeback were dashed just minutes into the second half when Holmes crossed for his second try after just three minutes after the break.
The blowout continued when Tabuai-Fidow scored with 29 minutes remaining to hand Maroons coach Billy Slater successive Origin wins from as many attempts.
Cook stopped the Maroons bloodbath when he showed his speed in unstructured play to race away to score. The joy was short-lived for the Blues with Coates and Jeremiah Nanai completing the onslaught.
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